Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle

In a surprising and inspired fusion of historical engineering and avant-garde design, the Ball Watch Company has joined forces with the United Kingdom's leading watch publication, Oracle Time, to create a truly distinct timepiece. The result of this collaboration is the Engineer II Dazzle, a watch that channels a unique and often-overlooked piece of British naval history into a modern, robust timekeeper. This limited-edition piece is a testament to the creative potential that arises when a brand with a deep legacy in durable, precise watchmaking partners with a publication that has its finger on the pulse of contemporary horological enthusiasm. The project’s success hinged on a few key criteria: it had to honor Ball's heritage of novel engineering, it needed a distinctly British character, and it had to be a concept entirely new to the Ball catalog.

The story of the Ball Watch Company is intrinsically linked to the expansion of the American railroad system, a narrative founded on the critical need for precision. The company's genesis was not in a quiet Swiss workshop, but in the aftermath of a catastrophe. In 1891, a deadly head-on train collision in Kipton, Ohio, was traced back to a conductor's watch that had stopped for a mere four minutes. This tragic event underscored a systemic problem: the lack of a standardized and reliable timekeeping system for the nation's burgeoning railways. In response, American railroad officials appointed Cleveland jeweler Webster Clay Ball as the "Chief Time Inspector," tasking him with creating and enforcing a new, rigorous standard for all timepieces used on the rails.



Webster C. Ball was uniquely suited for this role. Long before the Kipton disaster, he was a forward-thinking jeweler, recognized as the first in Cleveland to utilize time signals broadcast from the US Naval Observatory in Washington D.C., thereby bringing a new level of accurate time to the public. His appointment as Chief Time Inspector led to the development of the "RR Standard" (Rail Road Standard), a strict set of guidelines for the manufacturing, inspection, and servicing of watches used by railroad employees. These timepieces, often featuring movements from prominent American makers like Hamilton and Waltham but cased and certified by Ball, had to meet stringent criteria for accuracy and durability. This commitment to unerring performance in demanding environments became the bedrock of the Ball Watch Company's identity and gave rise to the popular American idiom, "to be on the ball."

Fast forward to the present day, and while the brand is now Swiss-made, that foundational ethos of robust engineering remains at its core. Modern Ball watches are known for their formidable construction, often featuring proprietary technologies designed to withstand extreme conditions. Collections like the Engineer Hydrocarbon are famed for their overbuilt cases, extreme shock resistance, and signature use of self-illuminating micro gas tubes. This legacy of building reliable, accessible, and highly durable tool watches made Ball the perfect technical partner for a creative collaboration. The brand’s historical reliance on the US Naval Observatory for time signals also provided an interesting, if subtle, link to the naval theme that would ultimately define this new project.

The collaborator in this venture, Oracle Time, has carved out a significant niche for itself since its establishment in 2013. As the UK's premier publication dedicated to luxury watches, it has cultivated a reputation for insightful commentary and a deep appreciation for the culture of watch collecting. This is not their first foray into watch design; a previous collaboration with Christopher Ward on the Dune Shoreline proved to be a sell-out success, eventually becoming a full production collection for the brand. This prior success demonstrates Oracle Time's ability to translate a unique concept into a desirable product, understanding the delicate balance between a compelling story, a strong value proposition, and a design that resonates with collectors. Their goal for a follow-up was clear: to once again create something with a cool dial, solid value, and a uniquely British idea at its heart.



The search for this uniquely British, engineering-focused concept led the collaborators to a fascinating chapter of World War I history: Dazzle camouflage. In 1917, Britain was facing a crisis at sea. German U-boats were sinking merchant ships at an alarming rate, and with radar technology still decades away, defensive options were limited. The initial ideas for camouflage followed a logical path, with zoologist John Graham Kerr proposing patterns inspired by animals like the zebra to help ships blend into the sea and sky. However, it was a marine painter, Norman Wilkinson, who offered a revolutionary and counter-intuitive solution. His idea was not to hide the ships, but to make them confusing targets.

Wilkinson’s concept, which became known as Dazzle camouflage, was an exercise in applied cubism. He reasoned that by painting ships in a chaotic jumble of contrasting geometric shapes and jarring lines, it would become incredibly difficult for a U-boat commander looking through a periscope to judge the ship's true shape, its speed, or its heading. The abstract patterns were designed to disrupt the visual form, to trick the eye and make accurate torpedo targeting a near-impossibility. The goal was not invisibility, but visual disruption. The British Admiralty embraced the idea, and Wilkinson was placed in charge of the Dazzle Section at the Royal Academy of Arts, where he and his team designed unique, one-of-a-kind patterns for hundreds of vessels.

These "Dazzle ships" transformed British dockyards into surreal art installations. Each vessel became a unique, floating sculpture of abstract art, a testament to out-of-the-box thinking during a time of immense pressure. While the definitive statistical success of Dazzle camouflage is still debated by historians, its psychological impact is undeniable. It significantly boosted the morale of the crews who served on these bizarrely painted ships. As naval technology evolved, with manual rangefinders giving way to radar and electronic targeting systems, the need for optical camouflage like Dazzle faded. The patterns were eventually painted over with standard naval grey, consigning this brief, creative period of naval history to the archives. It was this historical anomaly, this perfect blend of artistic creativity and wartime engineering, that Oracle Time and Ball chose to resurrect.



The visual centerpiece of the Engineer II Dazzle is, without question, its dial. It masterfully translates the disruptive energy of Dazzle camouflage onto the confined, circular canvas of a watch face. The pattern is a sharp, fragmented mosaic of triangles rendered in classic monochrome shades of black, grey, and white. This is not a flat, printed image; the entire pattern is embossed onto the dial's surface. This three-dimensional quality creates a subtle interplay of light and shadow, enhancing the contrast between the shapes and giving the dial a tangible depth and texture. The design is not a direct copy of any single historical ship's pattern but is rather a modern interpretation, carefully composed to achieve maximum visual impact within the watch's proportions.

Against this complex monochromatic background, the hands provide a sharp, legible contrast. To introduce a touch of color that ties into the watch's naval inspiration, the tips of the hour, minute, and second hands are finished in a crisp, icy sky blue. This subtle detail ensures readability at a glance and adds a contemporary aesthetic flair. In keeping with the utilitarian, purpose-driven nature of the design, the dial is kept clean and free of any superfluous text, allowing the Dazzle pattern to remain the undisputed star of the show.

True to the Ball Watch Company’s identity, the Engineer II Dazzle is engineered to conquer darkness. The watch forgoes conventional Super-LumiNova in favor of Ball's signature H3 micro gas tube technology. Fifteen of these tiny, self-powered tritium gas tubes are meticulously applied to the dial and hands. These tubes emit a constant glow without requiring any exposure to an external light source to charge. Their luminosity is bright, consistent, and will last for years. The execution of the lume is as thoughtful as the rest of the design. The tubes on the hands and at the 12 o’clock marker glow in an ice blue hue, perfectly matching the blue tips of the hands, while the remaining hour markers glow in a clean, nautical white. This creates a highly legible and visually striking display in low-light or no-light conditions.

The case of the Engineer II Dazzle was carefully chosen to balance its bold dial with everyday wearability. While the initial thought was to use the platform of the chunkier Engineer III Marvelight, the collaborators opted for the slimmer profile of the Engineer II line to enhance the watch's versatility. The result is a case measuring a comfortable 40mm in diameter with a remarkably slender height of 11.5mm. These proportions allow the watch to slide easily under a cuff, making it suitable for a wide range of attire, yet it retains a presence on the wrist that speaks to its robust construction.



The material used for the case and bracelet is 904L stainless steel, a grade superior to the more common 316L steel used in most watches. 904L steel contains higher amounts of chromium, molybdenum, nickel, and copper, which gives it significantly greater resistance to corrosion, rust, and even acids. This makes it exceptionally well-suited for harsh environments, a fitting choice for a watch with naval inspirations. Visually, 904L steel can be polished to a brilliant shine and is known to age beautifully over time. The case is further fortified with an anti-reflective sapphire crystal, a screwed-in crown, and a water resistance rating of 100 meters, ensuring it is prepared for any adventure.

Beneath the striking dial beats a high-performance mechanical heart. The Engineer II Dazzle is powered by the automatic BALL RR1101-C caliber. This is not just a standard workhorse movement; its accuracy has been rigorously tested and certified by the Swiss Official Chronometer Testing Institute (COSC), a designation reserved for the most precise mechanical timepieces. In a move that is relatively rare for Ball, a brand that typically favors solid casebacks and soft iron inner cages for maximum anti-magnetism, this limited edition features a transparent sapphire crystal caseback, allowing a clear view of the decorated and certified movement.

Even with the exhibition caseback, the watch is heavily protected. It incorporates Ball's patented Amortiser® anti-shock system, which consists of a protective anti-magnetic ring that encircles the movement, designed to absorb and dissipate the energy from severe side impacts. This system, combined with the robust overall construction, endows the timepiece with a shock resistance of up to 5,000Gs and an anti-magnetic resistance of 4,800A/m. These technical specifications confirm that despite its artistic dial and slim profile, the Engineer II Dazzle is a true tool watch, built to the exacting standards for which Ball is known.

The watch is presented on a solid 904L stainless steel bracelet that integrates seamlessly with the case, featuring a secure folding buckle. The use of the same premium steel for both the case and bracelet ensures a cohesive look and feel, as well as consistent durability and corrosion resistance throughout. For those who prefer a different look, an optional blue NATO strap is also available. This alternative would provide a more casual, military-inspired aesthetic, perfectly complementing the icy blue accents on the hands and the overall naval theme of the timepiece.



This unique collaboration between Ball Watch Company and Oracle Time stands as a compelling example of how historical inspiration can be reimagined in a contemporary context. It draws upon Ball's century-old legacy of building robust, precise timekeeping instruments and infuses it with a creative, distinctly British narrative. The Engineer II Dazzle successfully channels the disruptive spirit of Norman Wilkinson's naval art into a wearable format, creating a watch that is both a conversation piece and a highly capable daily companion.

The Ball x Oracle Time Engineer II Dazzle is a highly exclusive release, strictly limited to just 100 pieces worldwide. It is priced at £2,480 in the UK, $2,999 in the United States, and €2,600 or CHF 2,600 in Europe. Reflecting its collaborative nature, the watch will be sold as an online exclusive. A pre-order period for Oracle Time members will begin on June 11th, 2025, offering priority access. The remaining pieces will be made available to the general public starting on June 14th, 2025. Deliveries are scheduled to commence in October 2025, when the 100 owners will receive their piece of modern, wearable history.

Case: 904L stainless steel, Ø 40mm diameter, 11.5mm height. Anti-reflective sapphire crystal front and sapphire exhibition caseback. Screwed-in crown, water resistant to 100m/330ft.

Movement: Automatic caliber BALL RR1101-C, COSC-certified chronometer. Shock resistant to 5,000Gs, anti-magnetic to 4,800A/m. Features Amortiser® patented anti-shock system.

Dial: Embossed Dazzle camouflage pattern. 15 tritium micro gas tubes on hands and hour markers for self-powered night reading capability.

Strap: 904L stainless steel bracelet with a folding buckle. An optional blue NATO strap is available.

Price: £2,480 / $2,999 / €2,600 / CHF 2,600.

Reference Number: NM9016C-S8C-BK

Notes: A limited edition of 100 pieces created in collaboration with Oracle Time magazine. The design is inspired by the disruptive Dazzle camouflage used on British naval vessels in WWI.